The China Mail - Scott enjoys his freedom to take control at BMW Championship

The 44-year-old made his PGA Tour debut at Castle Pines Golf Club 24 years ago, the start of a career which has brought him 14 wins on the tour, but none in the past four years.

But the 2013 Masters winner equalled the course record with his bogey free round, catapulting himself into the lead.

"It's been a long time. I can't remember the last time I shot a 63 out here,” said Scott, who sits at 13-under for the tournament.

"But it feels good to go low, that I've still got that in me. Hopefully, there's one more this week," he added.

Getting into the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings, not only made sure that Scott would compete this week but secured him spots in the tour's elite Signature Events next season.

The Australian only made it into the top 50 thanks to a final round 67 at the St Jude Championship on Sunday, but with that pressure off he says is playing with freedom.

"Your mindset changes so much. Leaving the range, I just wanted to keep moving in the right direction, grind out and shoot under par and keep going that way. Then by the middle of the round I was thinking of how many birdies can I make. It's funny how that happens," he said.

"I feel like I really don't have anything to lose this week. I can't go out of the top 50. I'm going to have a good schedule in the Signature Events next year. Of course I'd love to make it to East Lake, but now I'd love to win this event," he said.

The final event of the FedEx Cup is the Tour Championship at East Lake, near Atlanta, next week.

Scott has three strokes over Keegan Bradley, the overnight leader, who made a 4-under 68, with his first bogey of the tournament coming on the 18th.

Bradley, the USA's Ryder Cup captain for 2025, held a one shot lead over Hideki Matsuyama after the first round but by the time he teed off it was a very different situation.

Matsuyama had withdrawn with a back injury and Scott had moved well ahead of him.

"Adam is a world-class Hall-of-Fame type player. He went out and did what he does, and I'll have to play really well to hang with him this weekend," said Bradley.

Sweden's Ludvig Aberg also moved into contention for the weekend, matching Scott's 63 with a round which saw a bogey on the par-4 third and an eagle on the par-5 14th.

Aberg said that the rain at the end of Thursday's play had allowed for more attacking approaches to the greens.

"The greens were a little bit softer, so you could be a little bit more aggressive and get away with a little bit more," he said.

"I still felt like it was similar. The course is gettable. Felt like I was hitting it well. I was hitting a lot of fairways, and then you can be quite aggressive into the greens," he added.

Sweden's Alex Noren was in fourth place on 8-under after shooting a second straight round of 68.

FedEx Cup leader, world number one and Masters champion Scottie Scheffler had a tough day - making even par despite three bogeys and a double bogey on the par-4 10th.

Scheffler is one-under for the tournament and 12 strokes off the lead.

Xander Schauffele, the winner in this year's PGA Championship and British Open, also had a testing round making five bogeys in his one-over 73.

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